Your Mum Opens the Door to Everyone. She Shouldn’t Have To.
of doorstep fraud victims are over 65
annual UK doorstep crime cost
to verify with Certifyd
The reality of elderly protection in the UK.
Protecting elderly parents from doorstep fraud requires verification that works when the vulnerable person cannot check for themselves. Certifyd uses bi-directional, device-bound authentication that can be managed by family members remotely. When someone arrives at an elderly person’s home — a tradesperson, a care worker, a charity collector — the visitor verifies their identity through their registered device. The elderly person or their family member can confirm the visitor’s identity and organisational affiliation in real time, creating a tamper-proof record of every visit.
75% of doorstep fraud victims are over 65. Elderly people are disproportionately targeted because they are more likely to be at home during the day, more likely to answer the door to strangers, and less likely to challenge someone who presents themselves as a professional. Rogue traders, bogus officials, and distraction burglars exploit this vulnerability systematically.
For adult children living miles away from elderly parents, doorstep safety is a constant worry. You can’t be there every time someone knocks. You can’t check every tradesperson’s credentials. And your parent may not question someone who arrives in a branded van with a plausible story. The result is a vulnerability that worsens with age, isolation, and cognitive decline.
Certifyd provides a practical layer of protection. Legitimate visitors — care workers, cleaners, tradespeople, utility engineers — verify their identity through their device-bound passkey before or upon arrival. Family members can be notified and can confirm the visitor’s identity remotely. If someone arrives who can’t verify, that’s the signal your parent needs — don’t open the door. Every visit creates a tamper-proof record of who came, when, and under whose authority.
This is broken.
Here's why.
Elderly people are disproportionately targeted by doorstep fraud — 75% of victims are over 65.
Adult children can’t be present for every tradesperson, care worker, or visitor at their parent’s home.
Cognitive decline means elderly parents may not challenge unfamiliar visitors or remember who came.
Rogue traders exploit trust and isolation — arriving in branded vans with professional-sounding stories.
Simple verification.
Every time.
Visitor arrives at the elderly person’s home and opens Certifyd to verify
Their identity and organisational membership are cryptographically confirmed through their device
The elderly person (or their family member remotely) can see the visitor’s verified identity and company
A tamper-proof record is created: who visited, when, and under whose authority
Ready to see it in action?
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“Mum had a man knock on her door saying he was from the water board. She let him in. He wasn’t. That’s when we realised she can’t tell anymore who she should trust.”— Daughter of elderly fraud victim
Common questions.
Certifyd is designed so that the visitor does the verification, not the homeowner. The visitor opens the app and completes the passkey challenge on their device. The elderly person (or their family member remotely) simply sees the verification result — a confirmed identity and organisational affiliation. For elderly parents who use a smartphone, they can view verification directly. For those who don’t, family members can receive notifications and confirm visitors remotely.
Yes. Family members can be added as authorised contacts. When a visitor verifies at the elderly person’s address, the family member receives a notification with the visitor’s verified identity, their company or organisation, and the time of visit. This provides remote oversight without requiring the elderly person to manage the technology themselves.
That’s the point. If a tradesperson, care worker, or official arrives and cannot verify their identity through Certifyd, that is the signal not to open the door. Legitimate professionals who use Certifyd will be able to verify in 30 seconds. Someone who can’t — or won’t — should be treated with caution. This gives elderly people a simple, clear rule: verified means safe, unverified means wait.
Yes. Care workers can verify through Certifyd, confirming their identity and their active membership with the care provider. Family members receive a notification confirming who is caring for their parent. Over time, this builds a complete, tamper-proof record of every care visit — who came, when, and under whose authority. This is particularly valuable when multiple carers rotate through the week.
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Protect your parents from doorstep fraud
Book a demo to see how Certifyd works for your team, or tell us about your verification needs and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Read: The Doorstep Fraud Problem